Retirement Association Interviews

This collection features interviews with former Central Washington University (CWU) students, faculty members, and Board of Trustees members. These interviews were conducted by the Central Washington University Retirement Association (CWURA), which was founded in 1990 “to facilitate the mission and goals of the University and provide for continuing professional, educational and social activities of retired University personnel.” Interviewing began in 1995 and continues into the present. Each CWURA interviewee answered questions about personal background, education and experiences at CWU.

Note: To access video or audio recordings, please click on the "Link to Audio/Video File" for each record. If you have trouble playing the videos, you may have better success using a different Internet browser such as Safari or Chrome. If problems persist, please contact the site administrator at scholarworks@cwu.edu with a note about the title of the video you were attempting to access, the URL, and the browser you were using. Thanks!

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

Kent Richards interview

Kent Richards

Kent Richards taught in the history department at Central Washington University, 1966-1997.
Donald Ringe Video Interview

Donald Ringe

Donald Ringe discusses personal history, problems at CWU, outstanding faculty and administration, salary schedule, hiring policies and practice, pre-college preparation of incoming students, faculty organization, personal contributions, committees served on, changes in the geology department, unjustified activities on campus, and military duty.
Robert Rittenhouse Video Interview

Robert Rittenhouse

Robert Rittenhosue talks about his early life, education, and career. Robert Rittenhouse talks about his early life and growing up in New England and majoring in Chemistry for undergraduate and graduate degrees, starting work as a professor at age of 25. He also discusses his passion for mountaineering. He taught chemistry at Walla Walla University for many years before coming to Central to work as an non-tenure track faculty. He later became chemistry department co-chair and served on several university committees. He also discusses teaching load and administration expectations during his time at CWU.
Diane Rogers Video Interview

Diane Rogers

Diane Rogers talks about her life, studies, and work in various departments at Central Washington University. Including starting the "Love Glove Club" and creating bookmarks with overdue fine costs.
Sharon Roselle Video Interview

Sharon Roselle

Sharon Roselle discusses her early life and teaching and her work at Central Washington University
Russell Ross Video Interview

Russell Ross

Russell Ross discusses personal history, working in Music Education and Music Theory, influential faculty members, town/gown relationships, women in the department, and committees he served on.
Nellie Rumburg Video Interview

Nellie Rumburg

Nellie Rumburg talks about growing up in Ellensburg and later working in the CWU library. She started working in the library in 1990 and had many different positions over the years. Nellie enjoyed working in periodicals the most. She talks about memorable co-workers and changes in the library over time.
Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand Video Interview

Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand

Maraget Sahlstrand talks about her early life and work at Central Washington University in the Art Department as tenure track faculty.
Emil Emanuel Samuelson interview

Emil Emanuel Samuelson

Emil Emanuel (E.E.) Samuelson taught in the education department at Central Washington College of Education (predecessor to Central Washington University) between the 1940s and 1960s.
Catherine MacMillan Sands interview

Catherine MacMillan Sands

Catherine MacMillan Sands taught in the anthropology program at Central Washington University, 1968-1995.
Roy Savoian Video Interview

Roy Savoian

table { }td { padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-left: 1px; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; vertical-align: bottom; border: medium none; white-space: nowrap; }

Roy Savoian talks about his personal history and history before Central and his time as Dean of the College of Business
Catherine Scarlett Video Interview

Catherine Scarlett

Catherine Scarlett talks about her work in fundraising before coming to central where she worked as a fundraiser for the foundation for over 23 years.
Jody Scheffelmaier Video Interview

Jody Scheffelmaier

Jody Scheffelmaier talks about being a student at Central in the 1960's and her time as an employee and teaching Biology courses at Central. She also talks about campus growth, town and gown relations, and changes from the 1960's to the present.
Donald Schliesman interview

Donald Schliesman

Donald Schliesman served in the education department at Central Washington University between 1957 and 1996. He speaks about his time as an administrator during the Garrity administration at the university.
William Schmidt interview

William Schmidt

William (Bill) Schmidt served in the A/V department at Central Washington University, 1963-1999.
William Schmidt Video Interview

William Schmidt

William Schmidt discusses personal history, getting hired at CWU in 1963, working in the audio/visual program, his assignments at CWU, and his impressions of CWU.
Jim Schwing Video Interview

Jim Schwing

Jim Schwing trained at Worcester polytechnic institute in Worcester Massachusetts. Started as mathematician and then moved into computers as they became ubiquitous.

He started work at old dominion in Virginia and worked there 20 years and his family. He came to central in 1998 to work for the Computer Science department. Jim spent 16 years as chair of the department then just taught as faculty for two years. He discusses changes in the I.T. department and how they made the transition to improve computing abilities as the internet grew. He discusses faculty efforts to unionize and changes on campus during his tenure. Jim noted the many diverse opportunities for student for enrichment beyond their coursework.
Wiliam Seraile Video Interview

William Seraile

William Seraile is a retired professor of African American History who taught at Lehman college at City University of New York. In this interview he discusses attending Central Washington State College as an undergraduate in the early 1960’s. He also talks about his pioneering work teaching and writing African-American history.
Lana Jo Sharpe Video Interview

Lana Jo Sharpe

table { }td { padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-left: 1px; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; vertical-align: bottom; border: medium none; white-space: nowrap; } Lana Jo Sharpe discusses personal history, first impressions of CWU, influential faculty members, town/gown relationships, physical changes on campus, departmental changes on campus, proud moments at CWU, and changes in students.
Dorothy Sheldon interview

Dorothy Sheldon

Dorothy Sheldon served in the education department at Central Washington University between 1967 and 1987. She speaks about her time at the university, including her work with the Women's Center.
Dorthy Sheldon Video Interview

Dorothy Sheldon

Dorothy Sheldon discusses personal history, the CWU hiring procedure, initial assignment at CWU, working off campus, relationship with department chairs, and starting as an assistant professor and progressing to become a full professor.
John Shrader interview

John Shrader

John Shrader served as a science educator at Central Washington College of Education (predecessor to Central Washington University), 1957-1966.
John Shrader Video Interview

John Shrader

John Shrader discusses the development of the science education program, department problems, problems with the curriculum committee, student quality, personal contributions, off campus programs, serving in Senate, and service in World War II.
Lucille Sienia interview

Lucille Sienia

Lucille Sienia worked in Food Services at Central Washington State College (predecessor to Central Washington University), 1959-1970.
Lucille Sienia Video Interview

Lucille Sienia

Lucille Sienia discusses her kitchen assignment at CWU dining services, becoming head cook, cooking from scratch, the original commons behind Sue Lombard, salaries, split shifts, supervisor duties, student help, and family atmosphere.